Identity FormationErikson Identity versus Role ConfusionDurin

Identity Formation
Erikson: Identity versus Role Confusion
During Erikson’s fifth stage of psychosocial development,
Identity versus Role Confusion, adolescents have two
alternatives: They can either establish a clear and definite
identity or experience role confusion, which is a failure to form
a stable and secure identity (Erikson, 1950b, 1968). During this
stage, adolescents are figuring out who they are and who they
want to be. Understandably, this can be difficult for young men
and women who are experiencing changes in almost every area
of life.
Marcia’s Theory of Identity Formation
While Erikson spent his career examining ways in which we as
individuals learn about ourselves through a series of crises,
James Marcia theorized four identity statuses critical to identity
development (Kroger & Marcia, 2011; Marcia, 2010). With a
focus on adolescence (the time during which Erikson believed
individuals struggle the most with identity), Marcia (1980) sees
identity in terms of two distinct sets of criteria: crisis or
commitment, present or absent. Marcia defines crisis as a period
in which adolescents consciously choose between two
alternatives. He defines commitment as a psychological
investment in a course of action or an ideology. For example,
you may have known what you wanted to study in college,
enrolled in that major, and never had a second thought about it.
Others may be unsure, trying out several majors before settling.
As a researcher, Marcia conducted long interviews with
adolescents. Based on the information he gathered, he proposed
*four different arenas within which identity is formed, and four
separate statuses (also referred to as coping strategies).
Arenas of Identity Formation:
· Work/vocation
· Politics
· Faith/religion

· Gender roles*
Statuses or Coping Strategies for Identity Formation:
1. Identity diffusion. Marcia considered identity diffusion to be
the least advanced status. It includes adolescents who have not
formed and are not trying to form commitments; they tend to
move from one thing to another. While these individuals may
seem to be carefree, their lack of commitment impairs their
ability to form close relationships. This stage is often
characteristic of younger adolescents as well as older
adolescents who drift through life and who can become
alienated and rebellious.
2. Foreclosure. Individuals who fall in the foreclosure category
make commitments without considering alternatives. Instead,
they take the word of those around them, believing that they
know what is best. These commitments are usually established
early in life and are often based on the person’s identification
with parents, teachers, or religious leaders who have made a
strong impression on them. One example is someone who takes
over a family business without considering any other options.
These individuals are not necessarily unhappy, but they do have
a tendency to display “rigid strength,” meaning they are happy
and self-satisfied, but at the same time have a high need for
social approval.
3. Moratorium. This third category refers to a person who
is actively exploring alternatives in an attempt to make choices.
Marcia (1980) believes that when individuals fall within this
category of identity, they show relatively high anxiety and
experience psychological conflict; however, they are often
lively and appealing and want to have intimacy with others
around them. These adolescents typically settle on an identity,
but only after they have gone through the struggle.
4. Identity achievement. The last and final category reflects
individuals who have successfully explored their options and
have thought through what they want to be, who they are, and
what they would like to do. This follows a period of crisis when
they take some time to consider all of the various possibilities

and then commit to the one that they feel best suits them.
Adolescents who have reached this category tend to be
psychologically happier, healthier, and higher in achievement,
motivation, and moral reasoning.
It is important to note that some individuals may shift
throughout these four categories. For example, an adolescent
who does not question what he is going to do with his life and
just takes over his father’s landscaping business may reassess
that decision at a later time. For some individuals, identity
formation does not occur only during adolescence but continues
throughout their lifespan. However, for most people, identity
comes together in their late teens or early 20s (Meesus, 2003;
Duriez, Luyckx, Soenens, & Berzonsky, 2012).Gender
*Until recently, gender identity focused mainly on gender role.
Individuals might have questioned how they would express their
gender, but (for the most part) they did not question their
gender identity in biological terms. For example, the social
changes of the 1960s and 1970s led many women to question
traditional female roles. They asked, “Why should a woman
restrict her choices to home-making, teaching, or nursing?” This
led to an almost total elimination of employment restrictions
based on biological sex.
Now adolescents face a much more complex situation related to
gender and identity. Some in our culture state that biological
sex is not as significant as how one feels about him or herself.
Some individuals express disagreement between their
physical/biological sex and their mental/emotional gender
identification. As a result, they choose to assume a gender
identity that is neutral (neither male or female) or that which is
opposite of the gender indicated by DNA and external
characteristics. On the other end of the spectrum are those who
say that any attempt to deny one’s biological gender identity is
at least misguided, or could quite possibly be an indication of a

mental disorder.
So which opinion is correct? Although we will not attempt to
resolve this issue here, we will examine empirical evidence
related to this discussion: socialization, physical/biological
factors, culture, and mental health. We will begin by defining
some terms, then go on to examine a number of these
issues.Gender Socialization
To a certain extent, gender roles are established by societal
norms. They are based on whatever a particular culture decides
is appropriate for individuals within that society. This
socialization process can dictate behavior, appearance, work, or
even patterns of speech. As mentioned in a previous chapter,
gender socialization starts early and continues throughout one’s
lifespan. While a man may choose to function in a “traditional”
male role or not, society will judge him based on the unwritten
rules of what a man “ought” to look and act like. By the same
token, a woman may choose to follow societal norms for female
behavior, or she can choose to adopt behaviors that are
generally considered more masculine. Here also she will be
rewarded or punished for the way in which she complies with,
or deviates from, the gender “rules” of her culture. As
mentioned, over the past several decades, society has relaxed
the boundaries that once separated gender roles related to work
and family relationships. Now it is acceptable for men or
women to pursue careers in either traditional or nontraditional
roles. A woman can choose to be a nurse (traditional) or a
military pilot (nontraditional). A man can choose to be a
firefighter (traditional) or a stay-at-home parent
(nontraditional). Very little (if any) negative reaction results
from gender role choices such as this. However, individuals
who do not conform in terms of gender identity face a much
different set of circumstances.Gender and Biology
Until recently one’s gender identity was synonymous with his or
her biological sex. Individuals born with an “XY” chromosome
arrangement and male genitalia were identified as male; those
born with an “XX” chromosome arrangement and female

genitalia were identified as female. While individuals might
choose to express their gender by assuming either traditional or
nontraditional roles (as described above), one’s identity as a
male or female was not questioned. However, in the same way
that we have come to agree that one’s biological gender is
irrelevant in terms of gender role, some in society want to move
toward a standard in which one’s biological gender is not
relevant in gender identity either. It is argued that any
designation related to gender should be fluid and left up to each
individual’s interpretation.
Despite this widely publicized belief, empirical evidence
indicates that gender differences are not just based on
socialization or individual interpretation. Beyond the obvious
differences in genitalia, researchers tell us there are other
significant physical differences between males and females that
are evident as early as the first days and weeks of one’s life.
Here are just a few of them:
· Newborn female infants have slightly smaller upper body
musculature and head circumference, and a significantly smaller
spine than male infants (Ponratana et al., 2015).
· Researchers believe hormonal differences in the cord blood of
newborn infants could signal a difference in basic body
composition (Pardo, Geloneze, Tambascia, Pereira, & Filho,
2004).
· Of course there are also genetic differences that distinguish
males and females.
Interestingly, in addition to these physical differences,
researchers also found that infants (who are just a few hours
old) demonstrate notable differences in sociability based on
gender (Connellan, Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Batki, &
Ahluwalia, 2000). In this study, female infants in the maternity
ward showed a preference for interaction with people while
male infants demonstrated a preference for a
physical/mechanical object.
These are just a few examples of the ways in which we see that
gender identification, while greatly influenced by society, also

has a strong biological component.Tolerance, Social Contagion,
and Parental Responsibility
In most cases gender identification unfolds in a fairly
predictable manner, with most children recognizing that they
are male or female by about age 2. By age 3, most children
begin to identify that some toys are for girls while others are for
boys. Around this same time, children tend to prefer same-sex
playmates.
However, this “predictable” pattern does not always unfold in
this predictable manner; in some cases, children will assume the
gender opposite of their natal or biological “assignment.”
Situations such as this have increased dramatically. What has
caused the recent surge in children and adolescents who identify
as transgender individuals? Some say that society’s new
tolerance of transgender identity has given these children and
teens the courage to seek help in transitioning. From this
perspective, the increase is all about awareness and acceptance
(Weiler, 2015). Others urge caution, suggesting that the
increase may be due to peer pressure or the “cool” factor that
transgenderism has garnered in social media, in pop culture, and
in the news (skepticaltherapist, 2016). Some have even labeled
this phenomenon a “social contagion.” Given the fact that this is
a recent development in our culture it would make sense to
proceed with caution (Kaltiala-Heino, Bergman, Työläjärvi, &
Frisén, 2018). It is undeniable that every person (whatever age)
should be treated with respect and loved unconditionally.
Parents should always provide support for their child(ren), but
this does not mean that they must affirm every decision a child
or adolescent makes. Remember that adolescence in particular is
a time of experimentation and exploration. It is not unusual for
a child who begins the transition to a new gender identity to
change his or her mind and decide to make the difficult
transition back to their natal gender. Research indicates that as
many as 80% of children who are diagnosed with gender
dysphoria before age 12 decide to return to their natal gender
during adolescence (Steensma, T. D., McGuire, J. K., Kreukels,

B. P. C., Beekman, A. J., & Cohen-Kettenis). Because of this
fact, it is ill-advised to begin treatments that cannot be
reversed.
Parents have a right and responsibility to provide guidance and
wise counsel when such a life-altering change is being
considered. Any type of permanent transition should be delayed
until the child is old enough to make an informed decision (in
some states this age of consent is 16; in terms of cognitive
maturity we have seen that from a developmental perspective in
might be better to wait until the mid-20s). Clearly, irreversible
surgery should be delayed. Hormone treatments can be life-
altering as well due to the fact that they can cause sterility.
With all the questions that remain unanswered about the long-
term impact of transitioning therapies, parents are urged to
exercise care and caution if faced with a son or daughter who
declares him or herself a transgender person. Along with the
lack of evidence related to long-term impact is the serious
nature of the social and physical ramifications a young man or
woman will face if they choose to transition. Two final areas to
examine are spiritual issues and mental health concerns related
to gender identity.Spiritual Development and Gender Identity
Spiritual development comes into play here as well, as people of
faith are also divided on this issue. Some churches and
denominations communicate an “open and affirming” stance
toward transgender individuals, believing that each person has
the right to express whatever gender he or she deems most
appropriate. More conservative congregations, while willing to
accept transgender individuals, typically view gender in strictly
biological terms. Gender fluidity/confusion is seen as a choice
individuals make. Many individuals (both within the church and
outside the church) still agree with the diagnostic criteria used
up until 2013 which identified individuals who expressed “a
strong and persistent cross-gender identification, which is the
desire to be, or the insistence that one is, of the other sex” and
“evidence of persistent discomfort about one’s assigned sex or a
sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex” as

having a mental illness called gender identity disorder (APA
DSM-IV, p. 576).Gender Dysphoria and Mental Health
Concerns
The DSM-V (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders), released in 2014, removed the designation of gender
identity disorder and instead inserted gender dysphoria, defined
as “a condition in which there is a marked difference between
the individual’s expressed/experienced gender and the gender
others would assign him or her …” (Gender dysphoria, 2013).
Mark Yarhouse, a noted scholar in the field of gender identity,
provides these definitions:
‘Gender identity’ is simply how people experience themselves
as male or female, including how masculine or feminine they
feel. ‘Gender dysphoria’ refers to deep and abiding discomfort
over the incongruence between one’s biological sex and one’s
psychological and emotional experience of gender . . . When a
person reports gender identity concerns that cause significant
distress, he or she may meet criteria for a gender dysphoria
diagnosis. (Yarhouse, 2015)
Although questions about one’s gender no longer qualifies as a
mental disorder, it is important to note that many individuals
diagnosed with gender dysphoria also suffer with depression,
substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation (Kaltiala-
Heino, Bergman, Työläjärvi, & Frisén, 2018).
Opinion is split on why the rate of mental health issues is so
high among those who identify as transgender people. Some say
this can be explained by the minority stress model (mental
health issues are caused by discrimination, harassment,
bullying, and a general lack of support). Others believe that
existing mental health concerns are the things that drive a
person to seek gender transition as a remedy for the condition.
For example, in the case of depression, an individual does not
become depressed because of transgender discrimination, they
consider gender transition as a means of relieving the
depression that is already present. Sadly, some research
indicates that depression returns a short time after one’s gender

reassignment process has been completed. While individuals
experienced immediate relief from depression, they soon find
that surgery did not resolve the underlying issues (Dhejne et al.,
2011).Final Thoughts
To summarize, first and foremost we must always remember
that adolescents need the support of parents, teachers, and other
caring adults in any and every circumstance. Adults should
remember, however, that adolescence is a time of exploration
and experimentation. Not every idea considered in adolescence
will persist into adulthood. While the cultural tide seems to be
drawing more young men and women toward acceptance of and
participation in gender identity experimentation, we should
exercise caution due to the life-changing impact of gender
transitioning. There are social, emotional, mental, spiritual, and
physical issues that must be thoughtfully considered.*
School Safety/Emergency Operations Plan
Ohio Attorney General School Safety Task Force
June 2013
How To Use This Plan
Ohio schools must have a comprehensive school safety plan that
addresses their response
not only to severe weather and natural disasters, chemical
accidents and medical

emergencies, but also to school violence and various types of
terrorist threats.
This recommended School Safety/Emergency Operations Plan
includes comprehensive
information and descriptions of the overall concept of
operations, organization, roles and
responsibilities, along with checklists, to guide schools and
school personnel in addressing
various emergency hazards that may affect the safety of our
children and school community.
The checklists and national best practices, outlined in the
annexes of this plan with details
of what to do in the event of various emergencies, are
suggestions meant to assist schools
in the development of their own customized School Safety
Emergency Operations Plan
(School EOP).
Policies and procedures related to or contained in the plan
should be modified based on a
school’s unique circumstances and resources. In order to be an
effective tool to manage

an emergency event, a School EOP must include response
procedures that are developed
through threat assessments, safety audits, and planning and
training before an incident
occurs.
Planning, conducting live drills, and participating in table-top
exercises with law
enforcement, fire, emergency officials, and other members of
the school community will
ensure the sustainability of the School EOP. Building these
relationships and community
engagement are vital to a safer school community.
The content, organization, and terminology provided in this
School EOP align with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Sample School
Operations Plan (2011). In
addition, it closely mirrors format and organization of the State
of Ohio, county, and
municipal EOPs. The Ohio EMA and FEMA also train on this
planning format in their
emergency operations planning courses. Using this planning
format will help the school plan

comport with local emergency management and response plans.
The concepts and information contained in this plan is
consistent with the National Incident
Management System (NIMS), a set of principles that provides a
systematic, proactive
approach for planning, prevention, response, and recovery in
managing emergency
incidents. Consistent planning principles and processes across
all levels of government,
from the federal all the way to the individual school level will
help ensure more efficient and
coordinated plans, preparedness and emergency response.
2
While being NIMS compliant is no guarantee of federal grant
funding, current federal grant
opportunities require that recipients be in compliance with
NIMS principles. It is expected
that additional regulations will be instituted by the Department
of Homeland Security and
the U.S. Department of Educations in the area of school safety

and emergency planning. It
is the intent that this recommended School EOP will put Ohio
school districts and their
schools in a good place to incorporate any additional
requirements related to school safety
initiatives.
With regard to specific information to be included in the School
EOP, it is important to create
and insert appropriate floor plans for each building and provide
critical emergency
information. These must be kept current. It is also important to
identify appropriate staff to
fill specific roles related to command operations and keep this
information in a secure and
safe location. Remember that key staff assignments and contact
information must be
regularly updated to ensure efficient operations in the event of
an emergency. Finally, once
you have developed your School EOP, appropriate workshops
and/or seminars should be
conducted to ensure that all district and school personnel
understand the plan and their
roles and responsibilities.

School safety is the job of the entire school community. This
effort requires leadership and
coordination by school administration, and involvement and
participation from all sectors of
the school community.
* A Quick Reference “School EOP Checklist” is located at
Attachment B.
3
[School Name]
Emergency Operations Plan
[Date Adopted]
4
EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS
Ohio Revised Code § 3313.536 requires the board of education
of each city,
exempted village, and local school district and the governing
authority of each chartered

nonpublic school to file a comprehensive school safety plan and
floor plan for each school
building under the board’s or governing authority’s control.
This information, once filed with
the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, will be made electronically
available to law enforcement
personnel in the event of an emergency.
In order to remain in compliance with R.C. 3313.536(B), the
board or governing
authority shall update the comprehensive safety plan at least
once every three years and the
floor plans whenever a major modification to the building
requires changes in the
procedures outlined in the plan.
To provide the best information to first responders coming to
the aid of a school
during an emergency or critical incident, schools should
develop their school safety plans
into three sections, as follows:
– The Incident Response Plan
template was developed by

the Ohio Attorney General’s School Safety Taskforce to provide
critical information to
first responders during their immediate response to an incident.
This template
should be provided as the first few pages of the school’s safety
plan, so that it may
be prominently displayed to responders when retrieving the
information from the
Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG). Schools are advised
to update the Incident
Response Plan whenever information on the plan changes and
resubmit the update
to the Attorney General’s Office.
- School floor plans (not a building blueprint)
shall be submitted to the
Attorney General’s Office. The Ohio Attorney General’s
School Safety Taskforce has
provided suggested guidelines for the development of
standardized floor plans to
ensure the information presented is clear and provides the most
critical information
in responding to an emergency in a school facility.
- The larger school safety plan

should provide the more
comprehensive information necessary for both school and public
safety officials in
developing an all hazards approach to school safety planning.
This plan should be
customized to meet your school’s specific needs and
circumstances. Meeting with
emergency first responders and other community stakeholders is
recommended as
you develop and customize your plan.
5
INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN
School Name: School IRN:
School Building Street Address:
City: County:
School Type:
School District: District IRN:
Submitting Official’s Name: Position:
Date of Submission:

Key Contact Information
School Decision-Maker’s Name: Cellular Telephone:
Secondary School Decision-Maker’s Name: Cellular
Telephone:
Maintenance Staff Name: Cellular Telephone:
Custodial Staff Name: Cellular Telephone:
Keyholder’s Name: Cellular Telephone:
Key Knox Box Location (where applicable):
Primary Jurisdiction of Responding Agencies
Police Department: Contact Number:
Fire Department: Contact Number:
EMS/Ambulance Service: Contact Number:
Emergency Management Agency Director: Contact Number:
Communications
Name of MARCS Radio Talk Group:
Description of Communication Platform/Capabilities:
Location of School Safety Plan Documents
Location of Full-Size Floor Plans (hard copy)
On-Scene:

Off-Site:
Location of Full School Safety Plan Documents (hard-copy)
On-Scene:
Off-Site:
Details on how to access listed locations:
6
FLOOR PLAN CHECKLIST
The following checklist was developed by the Attorney
General’s School Safety Taskforce to
aid your school in preparing floor plans. In order to remain in
compliance with
R.C. 3313.536(B), the board or governing authority shall update
the floor plans whenever a
major modification to the building requires a change in the plan.
You are encouraged to use
this checklist in reviewing and updating your floor plans. This
checklist should be submitted
to the Attorney General’s Office along with the floor plans.
School Name: School IRN:

School Building Street Address:
City: County:
School Type:
School District: District IRN:
Submitting Official’s Name: Position:
Date of Submission:
FLOOR PLANS:
School
Review
AGO
Review
School name, IRN number, address, and phone numbers for
both the school
office and for emergency maintenance included on each page of
the floor plans
Submitted electronically (this is preferable) or on white letter,
legal, or 11” x
17” paper only (no blueprints)
Typed; no shading; minimal or no handwriting

Include a key to define any symbols used
Compass directions (at a minimum North) clearly noted
Each floor should be on a separate page
Street names that surround the facility clearly identified
Building entrances/exits marked and numbered, with service
entrances clearly
identified
Windows shall be graphically shown on the floor plans
All rooms labeled by room number, with common areas and
administrative
offices labeled by use
Location of water, gas and electrical shutoffs clearly noted
Location of existing AED, areas of refuge/assistance, fire
extinguishers, alarm
panel, knox box, and camera locations clearly noted
The area where floor plans and/or building blueprints are
stored are clearly
identified
Exterior alpha phonetic identification of building sides (Alpha,
Bravo, Charlie,
Delta) Note: The local fire department can inform school
officials on how to
label the buildings on the school floor plans as they are
developed.

7
BUILDING FLOOR PLANS
MUST BE PROVIDED FOR EACH BUILDING
INSERT SCHOOL FLOOR PLANS HERE
(Example Model Floor Plans Provided as Attachment A)
8
SIGNATORY PAGE
In developing the safety plan for each building, the board or
governing authority must
involve community law enforcement, fire, and safety officials,
parents of students who are

assigned to the building and teachers and nonteaching
employees who are assigned to the
building as described in R.C. 3313.536(A). The school safety
plan should be consistent with
the local incident command structure, as established by local
law enforcement and other
public safety agencies. The safety plan should clearly identify
the latest revision date and
the community members involved in its creation.
Authorized School Authority:
Signature Title
Primary Community Law Enforcement:
Signature Title Agency
Safety (Fire/EMS/EMA) Official:
Signature Title Agency

Parent Representative:
Signature Affiliation
Teacher Representative:
Signature Title Affiliation
Non-Teaching Employee Representative:
Others (may include School Board President/Members,
Principal, School Nurse):

9
SAFETY PLAN
Basic Plan
I. Introduction
...............................................................................................
.......................... 10
II. Concept of Operations
...............................................................................................
......... 15
III. Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities
............................................................ 17
IV. Direction, Control, and Coordination
................................................................................. 20
V. Communications
...............................................................................................
.................. 27
VI. Recovery After An Incident
...............................................................................................
.. 31
VII. Administration, Finance and Logistics
............................................................................... 32
VIII. Plan Development, Maintenance, and Distribution
.......................................................... 33
School Safety Planning

Glossary..................................................................................
............... 36
School Safety Authorities and References
................................................................................. 38
Functional Annexes
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
......................................................................................... 40
Drop, Cover, and Hold
...............................................................................................
................... 45
Evacuation Procedure
...............................................................................................
................... 46
Family Reunification
...............................................................................................
..................... 48
Lockdown Procedure
...............................................................................................
.................... 50
Mental Health and
Healing...................................................................................
....................... 52
Reverse Evacuation Procedure
...............................................................................................
.... 54

Shelter-In-Place
...............................................................................................
............................. 55
Hazard- and Threat-Specific Annexes
Active Shooter
...............................................................................................
............................... 58
Bomb Threat
...............................................................................................
.................................. 61
Bus Accident
...............................................................................................
.................................. 63
Chemical or Hazardous materials Spill
...................................................................................... 66
Explosion
...............................................................................................
....................................... 70
Fire
...............................................................................................
............................................... 72
Flood
...............................................................................................
.............................................. 74
Intruder/Hostage
...............................................................................................

.......................... 76
Medical Emergency
...............................................................................................
....................... 79
Severe Weather
...............................................................................................
............................. 81
Terrorism Annex
...............................................................................................
............................ 82
[School name] Emergency Operations Plan
10
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose of the Plan
The purpose of the [School Name] Emergency Operations Plan
(School EOP) is to
provide information on how to respond to emergency incidents
by outlining the
responsibilities and duties of [School Name] and its employees.
Customization of this plan
to meet [School Name] needs and circumstances is important.
Developing, maintaining, and

exercising the plan empowers employees to act quickly and
knowledgably. The plan
educates staff, faculty, students, and other key stakeholders on
their roles and
responsibilities before, during, and after an incident. This plan
provides parents and other
members of the community with assurances that [School name]
has established guidelines
and procedures to respond to incidents/hazards in an effective
way.
Developing, maintaining, and exercising the School EOP
increases legal protection.
Schools without established incident management procedures
may be found liable for their
absence. While no set of policies rules out the potential for
legal problems, establishing
procedures and guidelines on the best professional practices
provides a margin of
protection against liability.
B. Scope of the Plan
The School EOP provides guidelines and procedures for dealing
with existing and

potential school incidents. The basic plan and the functional
and hazard-specific annexes
outline an organized, systematic method to mitigate, prevent,
prepare for, respond to, and
recover from incidents. The plan discusses the expectations of
staff; roles and
responsibilities; direction and control systems; internal and
external communications;
training and sustainability; authority and references as defined
by local, state, and federal
government mandates; common and specialized procedures; and
specific hazard
vulnerabilities and responses/recovery.
C. Coordination with Emergency First Responders
Various agencies and services are involved in responding to
school incidents,
including emergency responders from law enforcement, safety,
fire, emergency agencies, as
well as mental health and other community organizations. An
important component of the
School EOP is advanced planning with various federal, state,
and/or local agencies and

community service providers to aid in timely communication
and response to an incident.
Advance planning may or may not include written agreements to
help coordinate services
between the agencies and school. If mutual aid agreements are
created, a copy should be
maintained with other important documents related to this
safety plan. Advanced planning
should specify the type of communication and services provided
by one agency to another.
11
D. Situation Overview/Hazard Analysis Summary
1. School Population
a. General Population
Current enrollment at [School name] is approximately [number
of students]
[elementary, middle-school or high-school] students located in
[brief description of the
building(s)]. These students are supported by a committed staff
and faculty consisting of:

[number] Teachers and specialists
[number] Administrators
[number] Office/support staff
[number] Instructional Assistants
[number] Cafeteria staff
[number] Maintenance and custodial staff
A master schedule of where classes, grade levels, and staff are
located during the
day is provided to each classroom and is available [identify
manner kept: hard copy and/or
electronic and location: in main office and/or some other safe
and readily available place].
b. Functional Needs Population
[School name] is committed to the safe evacuation and transport
of students and
staff with functional needs. The functional needs population
includes, but is not limited to,
students/staff with:

Limited English proficiency,
Blindness or visual disabilities,
Cognitive or emotional disabilities,
Deafness or hearing loss,
Mobility/physical disabilities (permanent and temporary), and
Medically fragile health (including asthma and severe
allergies).
The school’s current enrollment of students with functional
needs is approximately
[number of students]; however, this number will fluctuate.
Students and/or staff may
require additional assistance if they are temporarily on crutches,
wearing casts, etc.
Classrooms containing students and staff that require additional
assistance during
an incident will be noted by an asterisk next to the room number
during the applicable class
period(s) on the master schedule. The list of students and staff
names with functional
needs along with their schedules is available [identify manner
kept: hard copy and/or

A list of staff members that have been trained and assigned to
assist the functional needs
population during drills, exercises, and incidents is also
available [identify manner kept: hard
copy and/or electronic and location: in main office and/or some
other safe and readily
available place].
12
2. Building Information
[School name] is located on a [number] acre lot and includes
[number] buildings,
[describe athletic and parking and/or other facilities]. All
classes take place in [describe
building(s)].
A map and/or floor plans of the buildings annotated with
evacuation routes, shelter

locations, fire alarm pull stations, fire hydrants, fire
extinguishers, first aid kits, hazardous
materials storage, and utility shutoffs is included at the
beginning of this plan. All staff
members are required to know these locations as well as how to
operate the utility shutoffs.
3. Hazard Analysis Summary
[School name] is exposed to many hazards which have the
potential for disrupting
the school community, causing casualties, and damaging or
destroying public or private
property. Understanding that the [name of your County]
Emergency Management Agency
maintains an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to address
hazards and incidents, the
[School name] EOP has been developed to fit into the larger
[name of your County] EOP in
the event of a large-scale incident.
Table 1 on the following page briefly discusses high-priority
hazards that [School
name] has identified through a hazards assessment of each
school building and its

surrounding area, conducted either by school officials or in
conjunction with officials of the
[name of your County] Emergency Management Agency and the
County’s Emergency
Operations Plan, local law enforcement, fire, and other
community safety partners.
For example, a school may be located near railroads where
numerous hazardous
materials are transported. A derailment could force an
evacuation and implementation of
other emergency procedures. The high-priority hazards table
should be customized to
include content specific to your school community.
13
TABLE 1. HIGH-PRIORITY HAZARDS (To be customized to
meet school circumstances)
Flood Flooding is a natural feature of the climate, topography,
and hydrology of [School

name] and its surrounding areas. Flooding predominates
throughout the winter
and early spring due to melting snow, breakaway ice, and rainy
weather. [Identify
specific information such as building “A” is located 50 feet
from a waterway and
customize the best practice Flood annex in your plan to account
for
circumstances unique to your school and flooding hazards]
Severe
Weather
[Identify the type of weather conditions typical to your school,
ie, high winds,
tornados, heavy snow and/or ice, and specific information that
is critical to
your safety plan and emergency operations; customize the
Severe Weather
annex in your plan to account for circumstances unique to your
school and
weather hazards]
Intruder/
Hostage

[Continue to identify any specific hazards information and
customize the
relevant annex to your plan on these and/or other topics]
Active
Shooter
Bomb
Threat
Bus
Accident
Fire/
Explosion
14
E. Planning Assumptions and Limitations

1. Planning Assumptions
Planning assumptions allow for deviation from the plan if
certain assumptions prove
not to be true during operations. The following are standard
assumptions. Additional
assumptions may be needed depending on your school’s
circumstances:
The school community will continue to be exposed and subject
to hazards and
incidents described in the Hazard Analysis Summary, as well as
lesser hazards
and others that may develop in the future.
A major disaster could occur at any time and at any place. In
many cases,
dissemination of warning to the public and implementation of
increased
readiness measures may be possible; however, some emergency
situations occur
with little or no warning.
A single site incident (e.g., fire, gas main breakage) could
occur at any time
without warning and the employees of the school affected

cannot and should not,
wait for direction from local emergency response agencies.
Action is required
immediately to save lives and protect school property.
Following a major or catastrophic incident, the school may
have to rely on its own
resources to be self-sustaining for up to 72 hours.
There may be a number of injuries of varying degrees of
seriousness to faculty,
staff, and/or students. Rapid and appropriate response will
reduce the number
and severity of injuries.
Outside assistance from local fire, law enforcement and
emergency managers will
be available in most serious incidents. Because it takes time to
request and
dispatch external assistance, it is essential for the school to be
prepared to carry
out the initial incident response until responders arrive at the
incident scene.
Proper prevention and mitigation actions, such as creating a
positive school
environment and conducting fire and safety inspections, will

prevent or reduce
incident- related losses.
Maintaining the School EOP and providing frequent
opportunities for stakeholders
(staff, students, parents, emergency responders, etc.) to exercise
the plan
through live drills and table-top exercises can improve the
school’s readiness to
respond to incidents.
A spirit of volunteerism among school employees, students and
families will result
in their providing assistance and support to incident
management efforts.
2. Planning Limitations
It is the policy of [School name] that no guarantee is implied by
this plan of a perfect
incident management system. As personnel and resources may
be overwhelmed, [School
name] can only endeavor to make every reasonable effort to
manage the situation with the
resources and information available at the time.

15
II. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
The overall strategy of a School EOP is to execute effective and
timely decisions and
actions that prevent harm, protect lives and property, mitigate
damages, restore order and
aid recovery.
This plan is based upon the concept that the incident
management functions that
must be performed by the school generally parallel some routine
day-to-day functions. To
the extent possible, the same personnel and material resources
used for day-to-day
activities will be employed in responding to an incident in the
school. Because personnel
and equipment resources are limited, some routine functions
that do not contribute directly
to the incident may be suspended. The personnel, equipment
and supplies that would
typically be required for those routine functions will be

redirected to accomplish assigned
incident management tasks.
In addition, the incident may require coordinated operations
with others. The key to
successful operations is an organized command structure. It is
important to understand that
the school’s command of the incident and the school’s incident
management structure may
change once official emergency responders arrive on the scene.
Emergency responders are
knowledgeable in the Incident Command System (ICS) and may
be best equipped to
command the response to a specific incident. If this is to occur,
the school may transition
command of the incident to a more qualified Incident
Commander (IC). These concepts are
more fully discussed below.
It is critical for school administration officials and all segments
of the community
emergency response system to work together in advance of an
incident to develop a working
relationship and understanding of how the school’s initial

response would transition into the
overall response to a critical incident at the school.
A. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a set of
principles that provides
a systematic, proactive approach guiding government agencies,
nongovernmental
organizations and the private sector to work seamlessly to
prevent, protect against, respond
to, recover from and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless
of cause, size, location, or
complexity, to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to
the environment. This system
ensures that those involved in incident response/recovery
understand their roles and have
the tools they need to be effective.
According to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 and
the U.S. Department of
Education, school districts are among local agencies that must
adopt NIMS if they receive
Federal grant funds.

[School name] recognizes that staff and students will be first
responders during an
incident. Adopting NIMS enables staff and students to respond
more effectively to an
incident and enhances cooperation, coordination, and
communication among school
officials, first responders, and emergency managers.
16
As part of its NIMS implementation, [School name] participates
in the local
government’s NIMS preparedness program to remain NIMS
compliant and believes it is
essential to ensure that response/recovery services are delivered
to schools in a timely and
effective manner. NIMS compliance for school districts
includes completing the following:
Adopt the use of the Incident Command System (ICS). All
staff and students who
assume roles described in this plan will receive ICS-100

training.
Complete NIMS awareness course IS-700 NIMS: An
Introduction.
Participate in local government’s NIMS preparedness program
and incorporate
the School EOP into the [name of your County] EOP.
Train and exercise the plan. All staff and students are expected
to participate in
training and exercising the plan’s procedures and hazard-
specific incident plans.
The school is charged with ensuring that the training and
equipment necessary
for an appropriate response/recovery operation are in place.
B. Initial Response and Implementation of the Incident
Command System (ICS)
In a major emergency or disaster, [School name] may be
damaged or need to be
evacuated, people may be injured, and/or other incident
management activities may need
to be initiated. School personnel are usually first on the scene
of an incident in a school
setting. School officials and staff are expected to take charge
and manage the incident until

it is resolved or command is transferred to someone more
qualified, usually an emergency
responder agency with legal authority to assume responsibility.
School personnel will seek
guidance and direction from local officials and technical
assistance from state and federal
agencies where appropriate.
All activities necessary in managing an incident must be
organized and coordinated
to ensure the most efficient response. The Incident Command
System (ICS) will be used to
manage all incidents.
Until non-school emergency responders arrive on-scene, the
School Decision-Maker
(usually the principal or his/her designee) is responsible for
activating the School EOP,
including common and/or specialized procedures, as well as
hazard-specific incident plans.
The School Decision-Maker shall designate a School Incident
Commander with authority to
direct all incident activities. The designated School Incident
Commander should be the

person most qualified to manage the specific type of incident.
Once an emergency responder agency with legal authority to
assume responsibility
arrives on scene, the School Incident Commander should
transition command to that
Incident Commander and move to serving within the incident
command structure.
Again, it is critical that school officials and all segments of the
community emergency
response system work together in advance of an incident to
develop a working relationship
and understanding of how the school’s initial response would
transition into the overall
response to a critical incident at the school.
17
III. ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF
RESPONSIBILITIES

This section establishes the operational organization that will be
relied on to manage
the incident and includes:
A list of the kinds of tasks to be performed by position and
organization.
An overview of who does what.
A building principal and/or assistant principals are not always
able to manage all the
aspects associated with an incident without assistance. As
indicated, the Incident
Command System (ICS) uses a team approach to manage
incidents and allows school
officials to assign tasks to other key school personnel.
Staff are assigned to serve within the ICS based on their
expertise and training and
the needs of the incident. Roles should be pre-assigned based
on training and
qualifications. Each staff member and volunteer must be
familiar with his or her role and
responsibilities before an incident occurs. School staff may be
required to remain at school

to assist in an incident.
A. Principal/Building Administrator
The principal/designee may serve as the School Incident
Commander or delegate
that authority to a qualified individual. While the principal
retains the overall responsibility
for the safety of students and staff, delegating certain duties to
manage the incident may
allow the principal to focus on policy-level activities and
interfacing with other agencies and
parents. The principal shall coordinate between the
Superintendent’s office and the School
Incident Commander.
B. School Incident Commander
The School Incident Commander will establish an Incident
Command Post (ICP) and
provide an assessment of the situation to the principal/designee
or other officials, identify
resources required, and direct the on-scene incident
management activities. The Incident
Commander’s responsibilities include:

Assuming overall direction of all incident management
activities based on
procedures outlined in the School EOP.
Taking steps deemed necessary to ensure the safety of students,
staff and other
individuals.
Determining whether to implement incident management
protocols established in
the School EOP (e.g., Evacuation, Reverse Evacuation, Shelter
in Place, etc. as
described more fully in the annexes).
Arranging for transfer of students, staff and other individuals
when safety is
threatened by a disaster.
Working with and ensuring communication with emergency
services personnel.
Keeping the principal and other officials informed of the
situation.

18
Ensuring the proper transfer of command when/if a more
qualified Incident
Commander arrives on scene.
C. Teachers
Teachers shall be responsible for the supervision of students
and shall remain with
students until directed otherwise. Responsibilities include:
Supervising students under their charge.
Taking steps to ensure the safety of students, staff and other
individuals in the
implementation of incident management protocols established in
the School EOP.
Directing students in their charge to inside or outside assembly
areas, in
accordance with signals, warning, written notification or
intercom orders
according to incident management procedures established in the
School EOP.
Taking attendance when class relocates to an outside or inside
assembly area or

evacuates to another location.
Reporting missing students to the Incident Commander.
Executing assignments as directed by the Incident Commander.
Obtaining first-aid services for injured students from the
school nurse or person
trained in first-aid. Arrange for first-aid for those unable to be
moved.
Rendering first-aid if necessary. School staff will be trained
and certified in first-
aid and CPR.
D. Instructional Assistants
Responsibilities include assisting teachers as directed.
E. Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists
Counselors, social workers and psychologists provide assistance
with the overall
direction of the incident management procedures at the site.
Responsibilities may
include:
Taking steps to ensure the safety of students, staff and other
individuals in the

implementation of incident management protocols established in
the School EOP.
Rendering first-aid if necessary.
Assisting in the transfer of students, staff and other individuals
when their safety
is threatened by a disaster.
Assisting with crisis intervention and recovery processes.
F. School Nurses/Health Assistants
Responsibilities include:
Administering first-aid or emergency treatment as needed.
Supervising administration of first-aid by those trained to
provide it.
Organizing first-aid and medical supplies.
19

G. Custodians/Maintenance Personnel
Surveying and reporting building damage to the Incident
Commander.
Controlling main shutoff valves for gas, water and electricity
and ensure that no
hazard results from broken or downed lines.
Providing damage control as needed.
Assisting in the conservation, use and disbursement of supplies
and equipment.
Keeping the Incident Commander informed of school
conditions.
H. School Secretary/Office Staff
Answering phones and assisting in receiving and providing
consistent
information to callers.
Providing for the safety of essential school records and
documents.

Providing assistance to the principal.
Monitoring radio emergency broadcasts.
Assisting with health incidents as needed, acting as
messengers, etc.
I. Food Service/Cafeteria Workers
Using, preparing, and serving food and water on a rationed
basis when the
feeding of students and staff becomes necessary during an
incident.
J. Bus Drivers
Supervising the care of students if disaster occurs while
students are on a bus.
Transferring students to new location when directed.
Transporting individuals in need of medical attention.

K. Other Staff (e.g., Itinerant Staff, Substitute Teachers)
Responsibilities include reporting to the Incident Commander
for assignments, if
requested to do so.
20
L. Students
Cooperating during emergency drills and exercises and during
an incident.
Learning to be responsible for themselves and others in an
incident.
Understanding the importance of not being a bystander by
reporting situations of
concern.
Developing an awareness of natural, technological, and human-
caused hazards

and associated prevention, preparedness and mitigation
measures.
Taking an active part in school incident response/recovery
activities, as age
appropriate.
M. Parents/Guardians
Encouraging and supporting school safety, violence prevention
and incident
preparedness programs within the school.
Participating in volunteer service projects for promoting school
incident
preparedness.
Providing the school with requested information concerning the
incident, early
and late dismissals, and other related release information.
Practicing incident management preparedness in the home to
reinforce school
training and ensure family safety.
Understanding their roles during a school emergency.

IV. DIRECTION, CONTROL, AND COORDINATION
A. School Incident Command System
A school’s command system can be used to manage emergency
incidents or non-
emergency events such as graduations, athletic events, or
celebrations. The system is
flexible to meet the school’s needs. See Figure 1 on next page.
21
Figure 1. School Incident Command System

Staff are assigned to serve within the ICS based on their
expertise and training and
the needs of the incident. Roles should be pre-assigned based
on training and qualification.
The School ICS is organized into the following functional areas:
1. School Incident Commander
Directs tactical on-scene operations until/unless a coordinated
incident command
system (ICS) is established with local authorities. In complex
incidents, a
Policy/Coordination Group may be convened at the school
district operations center. The
role of the Policy/Coordination Group is to:
Support the on-scene Incident Commander.
Provide policy and strategic guidance.
Help ensure that adequate resources are available.

Identify and resolve issues common to all organizations.
Keep elected officials and other executives informed of the
situation and
decisions.
Provide factual information, both internally and externally. See
Part V of this plan
on Communications for additional information related to
role/responsibility of an
information officer.
The [School name] Principal/designee and/or School Incident
Commander will keep
the Policy/Coordination Group informed.
22
2. Operations Section
When activated, the Operations Section coordinates all tactical
operations including
implementation of response/recovery activities according to

procedures and protocols
established by [name of School] in an incident action plan.
Procedures and protocols will
address care of students, first-aid, crisis intervention, search
and rescue, site security,
damage assessment, evacuations and the release of students to
parents. Specific
responsibilities include:
Analyzing school staffing to develop a Family Reunification
Plan, and
implementation.
Monitoring site utilities (i.e., electric, gas, water,
heat/ventilation/air
conditioning) and shutting them off only if danger exists or if
directed by the
Incident Commander and assisting in securing facility.
Establishing medical triage with staff trained in first-aid and
CPR, providing and
overseeing care given to injured persons, distributing supplies
and requesting
additional supplies.
Providing and accessing psychological first-aid services for

those in need and
accessing local/regional providers for ongoing crisis counseling
for students, staff
and parents.
Coordinating the rationed distribution of food and water,
establishing secondary
toilet facilities in the event of water or plumbing failure and
requesting needed
supplies.
Documenting all activities.
See Table 2 on the next page for the types of Strike Teams that
may be established within the Operations Section.
23
TABLE 2. OPERATIONS SECTION TEAMS
Search & Rescue Teams search the entire school facility,
entering only after they have checked the
outside for signs of structural damage and determined that it is
safe to enter. Search & Rescue Teams

are responsible for ensuring that all students and staff evacuate
the building (or, if it is unsafe to move
the persons, that their locations are documented so that
professional responders can locate them easily
and extricate them). Search and Rescue Teams are also
responsible for:
Identifying and marking unsafe areas.
Conducting initial damage assessment.
Obtaining injury and missing student reports from teachers.
First-Aid Teams provide triage, treatment, and psychological
first-aid services. First-Aid Teams are
responsible for:
Setting up first-aid area for students.
Assessing and treating injuries.
Completing master injury report.
Evacuation/Shelter/Care Team. Evacuation, shelter and student
care in an incident are among the most
important tasks faced by schools. These tasks include student
accounting, protection from weather,

providing for sanitation needs and providing for food and water.
This team is responsible for:
Accounting for the whereabouts of all students, staff and
volunteers.
Setting up a secure assembly area.
Managing sheltering and sanitation operations.
Managing student feeding and hydration.
Coordinating with the Student Release Team.
Coordinating with the Logistics Section to secure the needed
space and supplies.
Facility & Security Response Team is responsible for:
Locating all utilities and turning them off, if necessary.
Securing and isolating fire/HazMat.
Assessing and notifying officials of fire/HazMat.
Conducting perimeter control.
Crisis Intervention Team is responsible for:
Assessing need for onsite mental health support.

Determining need for outside agency assistance.
Providing onsite intervention /counseling resources.
Monitoring well-being of School Incident Command Team,
staff and students and reporting all
findings to the Operations Section Chief.
Student Release/Reunification Team. Responsible for getting
students reunited with their parents or
guardians in an efficient and orderly manner. This can be an
enormous challenge and takes a lot of
planning. This team is responsible for:
Setting up secure reunion area.
Checking student emergency cards for authorized releases and
completing release logs.
Coordinating information officers on internal and external
communications and messages.
24

3. Planning Section
When activated, the Planning Section is responsible for
collecting, evaluating and
disseminating information needed to measure the size, scope
and seriousness of an
incident and planning appropriate incident management
activities. Duties may include:
Assisting the Incident Commander in the collection and
evaluation of information
about an incident as it develops, assisting with ongoing
planning efforts and
maintaining the incident time log.
4. Logistics Section
When activated, the Logistics Section supports incident
management operations by
securing and providing needed personnel, equipment, facilities,
resources and services
required for incident resolution; coordinating personnel;
assembling and deploying volunteer

teams; and facilitating communication among incident
responders. This function may
involve a major role in an extended incident. Additional
responsibilities include:
Establishing and overseeing communications center and
activities during an
incident (two-way radio, battery-powered radio, written
updates, etc.), and
developing a telephone tree for after-hours communication.
Establishing and maintaining school and classroom first-aid
kits, coordinating
access to and distribution of supplies during an incident and
monitoring
inventory of supplies and equipment.
5. Finance/Administration Section
When activated, the Finance/Administration Section oversees
all financial activities
including purchasing necessary materials, tracking incident
costs, arranging contracts for
services, timekeeping for emergency responders, submitting
documentation for

reimbursement and recovering school records following an
incident. Additional duties may
include:
Assuming responsibility for overall documentation and
recordkeeping activities;
when possible, photographing or videotaping damage to
property.
Developing a system to monitor and track expenses and
financial losses and
secure all records.
School and school district management offices may assume
responsibility for these
functions and perform these duties off-site.
25
Remember that staff are assigned to serve within the School
Incident Command

System (ICS) based on their expertise and training and the
needs of the incident. Roles
should be pre-assigned based on training and qualification.
Table 3 provides example titles for specific roles within the
School ICS. This Table
can be completed for each of the various hazards in the annexes
of this plan with specific
staff assigned to each role along with emergency contact
information. Each of these
assignments are maintained with other important plan
documents [identify manner kept:
hard copy and/or electronic and location: in main office and/or
some other safe and readily
available place].
26
Principal or Designee

School Incident Commander
1. Assistant Principal 2._________________
Alternate School Commander(s)
*Please include current contact information for every person
listed on this chart
Public Information Officer
Communications Director
Alternates
1. Assistant PIO 2.____________
Acts as a liaison between school and
public (including media)
Policy Group
1. Superintendent
2. Communications Director/PIO
3. School Attorney or other key staff
Support Incident Commander, provide
guidance on policy, help resolve issues

and find resources, assist with
communications.
Operations
Assistant Principal
Alternates
1. Safety Officer
2._______________
Handle all emergency
response jobs,
including taking care
of students as well as
handling the
challenges of the
emergency.
Planning
Assistant Principal
Alternates

1. Admin. Assistant
2._______________
Responsible for
tracking both available
and needed resources,
assessing the
changing situation,
documenting the
response and
managing the large
site map at the
Command Post.
Logistics
Chief Custodian
Alternates
1._______________
2._______________

Manages personnel,
supplies and
equipment During a
response, the Logistics
Team is responsible
for handing out
supplies, equipment
and deploying
unassigned people for
work.
Finance &
Administration
Budget/Finance
Director
Alternates
1._______________
2._______________
Responsible for buying

materials and keeping
financial records of
expenditures and
employee hours
TABLE 3 SCHOOL INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM
27
B. Source and Use of Resources
[School name] will use its own resources and equipment to
respond to incidents until
emergency or other incident response personnel arrive. Parent
volunteers and community
members have been trained to assist, if called upon, and are
available after an incident
occurs. The following organizations or agencies [list should be
customized to your school
and community resources] have agreed to be responsible for
providing additional resources

or assistance:
First-aid kit and sanitation supplies will be provided by:
[insert provider name]
Cots and bedding supplies will be provided by: [insert provider
name]
Food/water supplies will be provided by: [insert provider
name]
Security will be provided by: [insert provider name]
Counseling services will be provided by: [insert provider
name]
V. COMMUNICATIONS
Communication is a critical part of incident management. This
section outlines
[School name]’s communications plan and supports its mission
to provide clear, effective
internal and external communication between the school, staff,
students, parents,
emergency responders, the community and media.
The School EOP must include policies and procedures
governing school incident

communications with law enforcement and emergency
responders, as well as with students,
parents, staff, the school community, and the media. Templates
for statements/press
releases to the media, and a detailed communications plan,
including standard procedures
and protocols should be developed and made available in
advance of an incident.
Templates for statements/ press releases, the communication
plan and media
contacts at the major television, Internet, and radio stations are
maintained by [insert
position] and located [identify manner kept: hard copy and/or
electronic and location: in
main office and/or some other safe and readily available place].
A. Communication Between School and with Law Enforcement
and Emergency
Responders
[School name] utilizes the Communication
Platform/Capabilities described in the
beginning of the School EOP to contact and maintain
communications with law enforcement
and other emergency responders during an incident. The School

Incident Commander will
transfer command to the appropriate emergency responder who
arrives on the scene to
assume management of the incident, including coordination of
internal and external
communications. The Incident Commander will use the
communication platform [and/or
other means] described in the School EOP to notify the
principal/designee of the school’s
status/needs. [School name] and emergency responders will
coordinate the release of
information to ensure that information is consistent, accurate
and timely.
28
B. Internal Communications
[School name] has identified a school spokesperson or public
information officer who
will be responsible to [add additional duties, as appropriate]:

Help create the policies and plans for communicating
emergency information
internally and to the public.
Follow the communications policies and procedures established
by [School
name].
Help establish alternative means to provide information in the
event of a failure
of power, phone or other lines of communication.
Develop materials for use in media briefings.
Act as the contact for emergency responders and assist in
coordination of media
communications.
1. Communication Between School Officials and Staff
Members
School personnel will be notified when an incident occurs and
kept informed as
additional information becomes available and as plans for
management of the incident
evolve. The following practices [the list should be customized
to fit your school’s

communication options] will be utilized to disseminate
information internally when
appropriate:
Telephone Tree: A telephone tree is a simple, widely used
system for notifying
staff of an incident when they are not at school. The tree
originates with the
principal/designee, who contacts the members of the School
Incident Command
Team. Team members then in turn will contact groups of staff
(teachers,
administrators and support staff).
Text-Messaging System/E-mail System: A text-messaging or
e-mail system is
available to provide those who are registered to receive
messages with updates
during an incident.
Morning Faculty Meeting: As appropriate, updated information
about an incident
will be presented at the morning faculty meeting. Any new
procedures for the day
will also be reviewed at this time.

End-of-Day Faculty Meeting: As appropriate, updated
information and a review of
the day’s events will be presented at the end-of-day meeting.
Staff will also have
the opportunity to address any misinformation or rumors.
C. External Communications
School officials must communicate with the larger school
community on how
incidents will be addressed on a regular basis. However, once
an incident does occur,
parents, media and the community at large will require clear and
concise messages from
[School name] about the incident, what is being done and the
safety of the children and
staff.
29
1. Communication with Parents

Before an incident occurs, [School name] will:
Develop a relationship with parents so that they trust and know
how to access
alerts and incident information.
Inform parents about the School’s EOP, its purpose, and its
objectives, although
detailed response tactics should not be shared if they will
impede the safe
response to an incident.
Information will be included in [describe your school’s
method, ie, school
newsletter, presentation delivered at Back-to-School event,
etc.].
Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an
incident and include
them in preparation efforts and training.
Be prepared with translation services for non-English-speaking
families and
students with limited English proficiency.
In the event of an incident, [School name] will:

Disseminate information [identify means such as via text
messages, e-mail, radio
announcements, hot-line, etc.] to inform parents about what is
known to have
happened.
Implement a plan to manage phone calls and parents who arrive
at school.
Describe how the school and school district are handling the
situation.
Provide information regarding possible reactions of their
children and ways to talk
with them.
Provide a phone number, Web site address, or recorded hotline
where parents
can receive updated incident information.
Inform parents and students when and where school will
resume.
After an incident, [School name] administrators will schedule
and attend an open question-
and-answer meeting for parents as soon as possible.
2. Communication with the Media

In the event of an incident, the School Incident Commander or
the emergency
responder Incident Commander (in the event command has been
transferred), will
coordinate with the school public information officer and/or
participate in a joint information
effort to [list should be customized by school]:
Establish a media site and reception area away from the school
and any
established Incident Command Post.
Provide regular updates to media and school community.
Provide only information that has been approved to be released
by the Incident
Commander in charge of the scene.
Monitor release of information and correct misinformation.
Coordinate messages with the principal/designee.
30

All [School name] employees are to refer all requests for
information and questions
to the designated Public Information Officer [or joint
informational personnel].
3. Handling Rumors
In addressing rumors, the most effective strategy is to provide
facts as soon as
possible. To combat rumors, [School name] will:
Provide appropriate information to internal groups, including
administrators,
teachers, students, custodians, secretaries, instructional
assistants, cafeteria
workers and bus drivers. These people are primary sources of
information and
are likely to be contacted in their neighborhoods, at grocery
stores, etc.
Hold a faculty/staff meeting before staff members are allowed
to go home so that
what is (and is not) known can be clearly communicated.
Designate and brief personnel answering calls to help control
misinformation.

Conduct briefings for community representatives directly
associated with the
school.
Enlist the help of the media to provide frequent updates to the
public, especially
to provide accurate information where rumors need to be
dispelled.
After the immediate incident response period, [School name]
will conduct public
meetings as needed. These meeting are designed to provide the
opportunity for people to
ask questions and receive accurate information.
D. Communication Tools
Some common internal and external communication tools that
[School name] uses,
include the following [customize to your school’s resources]:
Standard telephone: [School name] has designated a school
telephone number
as a recorded “hotline” for parents to call for information
during incidents. The
goal is to keep other telephone lines free for communication

with emergency
responders and others.
Cellular telephones: These phones may be the only tool
working when electric
service is out; they are useful to school personnel en route to or
from a site.
Intercom systems: The intercom system includes teacher-
initiated
communication with the office using a handset rather than a
wall-mounted
speaker.
Bullhorns and megaphones: A battery-powered bullhorn to
address students and
staff who are assembling outside the school. Procedures
governing storage and
use will help ensure readiness for use.
Two-way radio: Two-way radios provide a reliable method of
communication
between rooms and buildings at a single site. All staff will be
trained to
understand how to operate the two-way radio.
Computers: A wireless laptop computer may be used for
communication both

within the school and to other sites. Email may be a useful tool
for updating
information for staff, other schools in an affected area and the
district
31
superintendent. An assigned staff member(s) will post
information such as
school evacuation, closure or relocation on the home page of the
school and
district Web site.
Fax machines: Possible uses include off-site access to receive
and send critical
information concerning students and staff members, their
locations, and needed
telephone numbers, including but not limited to, medical
information, release
forms and authorizations.
Alarm systems: Bells or buzzers are in place and sound in
different ways to signal

different types of incidents – for example, fire, lockdown, or
special alert (with
instructions to follow). All school staff, students, and
volunteers will be trained on
what the sounds mean and how to respond to them.
Whistles: Whistles should be provided to staff in order to
signal a need for
immediate attention or assistance.
VI. RECOVERY AFTER AN INCIDENT
After the safety and status of staff and students have been
assured and emergency
conditions have abated following an incident, staff, teachers and
school officials will
assemble to support the restoration of the school’s educational
programs. Defining mission-
critical operations and staffing this effort is the starting point
for the recovery process.
Collecting and disseminating information will also facilitate the
recovery process.
[School name] and the [name of School District] will designate
appropriate personnel
and collaborate with external resources to work in teams to

accomplish the following
[identify personnel and activities, depending on your school’s
resources and type of incident
at issue]:
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the physical and
operational recovery
needs.
Assess physical security, data access and all other critical
services (e.g.,
plumbing, electrical).
Examine critical information technology assets and personnel
resources and
determine the impact on the school operations for each asset
and resource that
is unavailable or damaged.
Document damaged facilities, lost equipment and resources and
special
personnel expenses that will be required for insurance claims
and requests for
state and federal assistance.
Identify recordkeeping requirements and sources of financial
aid for state and

federal disaster assistance.
Provide detailed facilities data to the school district office so
that it can estimate
temporary space reallocation needs and strategies.
Arrange for ongoing status reports during the recovery
activities to: a) estimate
when the educational program can be fully operational; and b)
identify special
facility, equipment and personnel issues or resources that will
facilitate the
resumption of classes.
Educate school personnel,students and parents on available
crisis counseling
services.
32
Establish absentee policies for teachers/students after an
incident.
Establish an agreement with mental health organizations to
provide counseling to

students and their families after an incident.
Develop alternative teaching methods for students unable to
return immediately
to classes: correspondence classes, videoconferencing,
telegroup tutoring, etc.
Create a plan for conducting classes when facilities are
damaged (e.g., alternative
sites, half-day sessions, portable classrooms).
Get stakeholder input on prevention and mitigation measures
that can be
incorporated into short-term and long-term recovery plans.
VII. ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE AND LOGISTICS
A. Agreements and Contracts
If school resources prove to be inadequate during an incident,
[School name] will
request assistance from local emergency services, other
agencies and the school
community in accordance with existing mutual aid agreements
and contracts. Such
assistance includes equipment, supplies and/or personnel. All
agreements entered into by

authorized school officials should be in writing. All pre-
negotiated agreements and contracts
are [identify manner kept: hard copy and/or electronic and
location: in main office and/or
some other safe and readily available place].
B. Recordkeeping
1. Administrative Controls
[School name] is responsible for establishing the administrative
controls necessary to
manage the expenditure of funds and to provide reasonable
accountability and justification
for expenditures made to support incident management
operations. These administrative
controls will be done in accordance with established local fiscal
policies and standard cost
accounting procedures.
2. Activity Logs
Staff assigned within the School ICS will maintain accurate logs
recording key
incident management activities, including:

Activation or deactivation of incident policies, procedures and
resources.
Significant changes in the incident situation.
Major commitments of resources or requests for additional
resources from
external sources.
Issuance of protective action recommendations to the staff and
students.
Evacuations.
Casualties.
Containment or termination of the incident.
33
C. Incident Costs
School ICS Finance and Administration staff are responsible for
maintaining records
summarizing the use of personnel, equipment and supplies to
obtain an estimate of annual

incident response costs that can be used in preparing future
school budgets. The detailed
records of costs for incident management and operations
include:
Personnel costs, especially overtime costs.
Equipment operations costs.
Costs for leased or rented equipment.
Costs for contract services to support incident management
operations.
Costs of specialized supplies expended for incident
management operations.
These records may be used to recover costs from the responsible
party or insurers, or
as a basis for requesting financial assistance for certain
allowable response and recovery
costs from the state and/or federal government.
D. Preservation of Records
In order to continue normal school operations following an
incident, vital records
must be protected. These include legal documents and student
files as well as property and

tax records. The principal causes of damage to records are fire
and water. Essential
records should be protected and are maintained [identify manner
kept: hard copy and/or
VIII. PLAN DEVELOPMENT, MAINTENANCE, AND
DISTRIBUTION
A. Approval and Dissemination of the Plan
In developing the safety plan for each building, the board or
governing authority must
involve community law enforcement, fire, and safety officials,
parents of students who are
assigned to the building and teachers and nonteaching
employees who are assigned to the
building as described in R.C. 3313.536(A). The safety plan
should clearly identify the latest
revision date and the signature of individuals involved in its
creation and/or revision.
B. Record of Distribution
Copies the school safety and floor plans will be distributed to
emergency

organizations with a role in responding to an incident. A record
of distribution will be kept as
proof that organizations have acknowledged their receipt,
review and/or acceptance of the
plan. School administrators will record the title and name of
the person receiving the plan,
the agency to which the receiver belongs, the date of delivery
and the number of copies
delivered. This record is [identify manner kept: hard copy
and/or electronic and location: in
main office and/or some other safe and readily available place]
School Safety Planning documents should not be shared with
those who do not have
a need to know the details of the plan unless all sensitive,
security-related information has
34
been properly redacted. Copies of the plan may be made
available to the public and media
without the sensitive information at the discretion of the School

Board.
C. Review and Updates to the Plan
In order to remain in compliance with R.C. 3313.536(B), the
board or governing
authority shall update the comprehensive safety plan at least
once every three years and the
floor plans whenever a major modification to the building
requires changes in the
procedures outlined in the plan. The board should, however,
ensure an update to the plan is
filed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office whenever any
critical information in the plan
changes. Each update or change to the plan will be tracked.
The record of changes will
include: the change number, the date of the change and the
name of the person who made
the change.
To ensure timely updates to the School EOP, the school board
or governing authority
has established a schedule for an annual review of planning
documents. The basic plan and
its annexes will be reviewed at least once per year by school

officials and local emergency
management agencies and others deemed appropriate by school
administration.
The School EOP will be updated based upon changes in
information; deficiencies
identified during incident management activities and exercises;
and when changes in threat
hazards, resources and capabilities or school structure occur.
Whenever the School EOP is
updated, an updated copy shall be filed with the Ohio Attorney
General’s Office, to be made
available through OHLEG, as well as distributed in accordance
with the guidelines stated
above.
D. Training and Exercising the Plan
[School name] understands the importance of training, drills,
and table top exercises
in maintaining and planning for an incident. To ensure that
district personnel and
community emergency responders are aware of their duties and
responsibilities under the
school plan and the most current procedures, the following

training, drill and exercise
actions will occur. School officials will coordinate training
efforts with guidance from [your
County] Emergency Management Agency.
Basic training and refresher training sessions will be conducted
[insert schedule
specifics, such as annually, etc.] for [identify appropriate
school personnel] in coordination
with local fire, law enforcement and emergency managers.
School EOP training includes:
Hazard and incident awareness training for [identify staff and
method of training].
Orientation to the School EOP provided to [identify staff and
method of training].
First-aid and CPR for [identify staff and method of training].
Team training to address specific incident response or recovery
activities such as
Family Reunification.

35
Two online FEMA courses: ICS 100 and IS-700 to be taken,
with documentation,
by [identify staff and methods/location of documentation].
Both courses are
available for free at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute:
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code
=is-100.b
=is-700.a
Additional training will include drills and tabletop exercises.
Drills will be conducted
[insert time intervals]. Exercises will occur [insert time
intervals]. Records of the training
provided including date(s), type of training, and participant
roster will be maintained and are
located [identify manner kept: hard copy and/or electronic and
location: in main office
and/or some other safe and readily available place]. Approved
parent volunteers and
community members will also be incorporated into larger
training efforts.

All [School name] staff members are encouraged to develop
personal and family
emergency plans. Each family should anticipate that a staff
member may be required to
remain at school following a catastrophic event. Knowing that
the family is prepared and
can handle the situation will enable school staff to do their jobs
more effectively.
36
SCHOOL SAFETY PLANNING GLOSSARY
Hazards: Hazards shall include situations involving threats of
harm to students, personnel
and/or facilities. Hazards include but are not limited to natural,
technological and human-
caused incidents. Hazards may require an interagency response
involving law enforcement
and/or emergency services agencies, depending on the size and
scope of the incident.

Incident: An incident is an occurrence – natural, technological,
or human-caused – that
requires a response to protect life or property.
Incident Command System (ICS): The response infrastructure
designed under the National
Incident Management System (NIMS) to facilitate effective and
efficient management of an
incident by (1) identifying key team roles and functions; (2)
assessing staff skills; (3) pre-
designating staff for each ICS function (command, operations,
planning, logistics,
finance/administration); (4) coordinating with community
partners; and (5) providing for
transfer or command and backup of resources.
Incident Commander: The individual responsible for overall
policy, direction and
coordination of the emergency response effort. Usually this
will be the local emergency
official on site who has legal jurisdiction over the incident.
Key Knox Box: A key Knox Box is a device where emergency
keys to all parts of the school

facility are stored.
Keyholder: The school should identify the individual with
access to keys to all parts of the
school facility in the event of a critical incident or hazard. This
individual should be
reachable at the telephone number listed in the event of an
emergency.
Lockdown: The initial physical response to provide a time
barrier. Lockdown is not a stand-
alone defensive strategy. When securing in place this procedure
should involve barricading
the door and readying a plan of evacuation or counter tactics
should the need arise.
National Incident Management System (NIMS): A set of
principles that provides a
systematic, proactive approach guiding government agencies,
nongovernmental
organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to
prevent, protect against, respond
to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents,
regardless of cause, size, location or
complexity, to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to

the environment. This system
ensures that those involved in an incident understand their roles
and have the tools they
need to be effective.
School Decision Maker: The school should identify the
individual at the building level,
usually the principal, who is authorized to make decisions for
the school in the event of a
critical incident or hazard. This individual should be reachable
at the telephone number
listed in the event of an emergency. The School Decision
Maker may or may not serve as
the Incident Commander during a critical incident or
emergency.
37
School Incident Commander: The school official who has been
designated by the School
Decision Maker, if not the same, who is authorized to make

decisions for the school in the
event of a critical incident or hazard. The School Incident
Commander may transfer
command to the emergency responder Incident Commander,
such as law enforcement, fire,
or other safety officials who assumes control of the incident.
The School Incident
Commander will usually continue to operate within the overall
ICS structure.
Secondary School Decision Maker: The school should identify
a secondary individual who is
authorized to make decisions for the school in the event that the
primary school decision
maker is not available during an emergency situation. This
individual should be reachable
at the telephone number listed in the event of an emergency.
The Secondary School
Decision Maker may or may not serve as the Incident
Commander during a critical incident
or emergency.

38
SCHOOL SAFETY AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES
curity Act of 2002, PL 107-296 (Nov. 25, 2002).
Act, PL 100-707
(Nov. 23, 1988), amending the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, PL
93-288.
http://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system.
-700
National Incident
Management System (NIMS) an Introduction:
=is-700.a.
urity Presidential Directive No. 5 (2003).
Review.
Relocation or Replacement of
Classroom Facilities due to Contamination.
Authorization.

-100 Introduction to Incident Command System:
=is-100.b.
County Emergency Management & Homeland
Security Site Safety &
Emergency Plan Template, Sept. 2012:
http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/emahs/.
http://www.isbe.net/safety/guide.htm.
-Hazards Training Document:
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/emischool/EL361Toolkit/asset
s/SamplePlan.pdf
[School name] Emergency Operations Plan Functional Annexes
39
FUNCTIONAL ANNEXES
Functional protocols are common procedures that may be
implemented along with
procedures of hazard-and-threat specific protocols when needed
to respond to an

emergency. For example, evacuation procedures are
implemented along with procedures of
a more specific fire protocol. Reverse evacuation procedures
may be instituted along with
procedures activated for a hazardous materials spill that occurs
outside of the school
building. Each functional protocol describes the purpose and
responsibilities for that
function. Schools should customize these functional protocols
to fit their unique
circumstances. A risk assessment conducted with local
emergency and safety officials will
assist in development of effective procedures and protocols.
All functional annexes should address:
Situations under which the procedures should be used.
Who has the authority to activate the procedures.
Specific actions to be taken when the procedures are
implemented.
To implement functional procedures:
All staff and students should undergo training and participate

in drills.
Staff and bus drivers assigned to work with special needs
students should
undergo in depth training and drills.
Emergency response personnel should review, provide input
and assist in training
and drills on the use of these procedures. This will help
evaluate the
appropriateness of the procedures in the plan and assist with
modifications or
updating as necessary to ensure that the procedures are
sufficient to provide a
safe environment for students, staff and visitors.
Functional Annexes do not repeat but build upon the
information, guidance and
processes/procedures within the basic School EOP.
40
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN (COOP)

I. PURPOSE
The purpose of a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is to
ensure that the school has
procedures in place to maintain and/or rapidly resume essential
operations after an
incident has disrupted normal school operations, activities or
services. COOP is critical to
safety planning and a good business practice. The plan should
anticipate a full range of
potential incidents that could cause a temporary interruption of
school operations to a
complete shut-down of the school, requiring suspension of non-
essential functions and/or
relocation of essential functions to an alternative site for some
period of time. A goal is to
provide full operational capacity for essential functions within
12 hours after activation of
COOP and sustain these functions for up to 30 days.
II. RESPONSIBILITIES
Delegation of authority and management responsibilities should
be determined by School
officials prior to an incident. COOP procedures should address
responsibilities before,

during and after an incident. Safety of students and school
personnel is the first
consideration. Strong internal and external communications
systems and partnerships with
appropriate organizations, contractors and providers of services
should be developed so
that resources are readily available if needed. Legal counsel
should review delegations of
authority to identify and address any possible legal restrictions.
Designated school personnel, in conjunction with the
Principal/School Decision-Maker, will
perform the essential functions listed in Table 1 on next page.
41
Table 1. Essential Functions Performed by COOP Personnel
and/or send
students/staff to alternate locations.

community.
restoring business functions for school.
Principal/Assistant
Principal and/or
Department Heads
after an incident.
operations.
em for registering students (out of district or
into alternative schools).
responsibilities.
supplies, facilities, resources, and services required for
continued operations.
Internet, providing tutors for homebound students,
rearranging tests).
Custodians/Maintenance

Personnel
ernment officials to determine when it is
safe for students and staff to return to the school buildings
and grounds.
(debris removal, repairing, repainting and/or re-
landscaping).
School Secretary/Office
Staff
school’s insurance policy.
different physical location).
t, books, and materials.
-keeping functions such
as payroll, accounting and personnel records.
Counselors, Social
Workers, and School
Nurses/Health Assistants

staff/faculty.
according to established protocols.
Food Service/Cafeteria/
Bus Drivers
resume.
42
III. SPECIFIC PROCEDURES
A. Activation and Relocation
The Principal/School Decision-Maker will determine when to
activate and implement COOP
procedures and/or to relocate operations to an alternate site.
Authority for activation may
be delegated. The Principal/School Decision-Maker will
activate COOP procedures whenever
it is determined the school is not suitable for safe occupancy or
functional operation. The

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